The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Iran executed a man accused of “spying for Israel” on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, according to Mizan News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s judiciary.
Mizan identified the executed individual as Ali Ardestani, an Iranian citizen, and claimed that he was recruited by Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, through online platforms. The agency alleged that Ardestani carried out various missions for Mossad in exchange for money and other promises.
According to the report, Ardestani provided images and information related to “specific locations and individuals” to Mossad and received payment in cryptocurrency after completing each task.
Mizan said Ardestani confessed to all charges during court proceedings. The report added that during interrogations and investigations, he stated that his motive for what authorities described as betrayal of the country was the promise of a multimillion-dollar reward and a visa to the United Kingdom.
Iran is among the countries that extensively carry out the death penalty, a practice that has repeatedly drawn strong criticism from human rights organizations and the international community.
